4th Sunday of Advent December 24, 2023
St. Edmund’s Episcopal Church The Rev. Alan C. James, Interim Rector Atty. Andrea Flynn, Sr. Warden Mr. Richard Evans, Director of Music & Organist Ms. Charlotte Mays, Jr. Warden Mrs. Charmian Moore, Parish Administrative Assistant www.stedmundschicago.org
WELCOME TO ST. EDMUND’S
Thank you for coming and joining us for worship today. We are grateful for your presence with us. If you are worshipping with us for the first time, we ask you to please see an usher to fill out either the guest book or a visitor card so that we might appropriately respond to your presence with us. The congregation’s spoken parts of the liturgy are found in this bulletin. Hymns will be sung from either the Hymnal 1982 or Lift Every Voice and Sing, both of which are found in the pews next to you. The Sunday School classroom, Parish Hall, and a unisex bathroom are accessed through the hallway on the north side of the sanctuary. Either door on the left side of the sanctuary will take you to this hallway. At the time of the distribution of Communion, the ushers will invite interested individuals to come forward by row to the altar rail to receive either the Sacrament or a blessing from the priest (either standing or kneeling). In the Episcopal Church, all baptized Christians regardless of age and denomination are invited to receive the Sacrament. To receive the Sacrament, extend your hands and you will be offered the blessed bread and wine in a self-contained kit to consume at the rail. If you desire to receive a blessing instead of the Sacrament, fold your arms over your heart as a sign to the priest, who will offer you a blessing. We hope that your time today is spiritually nourishing and look forward to the possibility of welcoming you again soon. May God bless you today with joy and peace.
PHYSICAL POSTURE At various times in the liturgy the congregation stands, sits, and kneels. Traditionally we stood to praise God, kneeled to pray, and sat to hear the Word of God. Over time, standing has come to be understood as an equally appropriate physical posture for prayer. Through the bulletin you will find italicized notations where we tend to move from one posture to another. At all times, however, know that you are welcome and encourage to do that which seems appropriate for you physically and spiritually. LIVE STREAM NOTICE Please be advised that this public service of worship will be live streamed, and that your image and or that of any image of any children or vulnerable persons in your care may be shown by way of Zoom, YouTube, or other social media platforms. Your presence in Church communicates your agreement and willingness to be photographed, filmed, and or otherwise recorded, and you also agree to the use of such images in any and all media.
BULLETIN COVER Tanner, Henry Ossawa, 1859-1937. Annunciation, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54838. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Henry_Ossawa_Tanner_-_The_Annunciation.jpg.
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THE HOLY EUCHARIST, RITE II The Prelude
“Prelude In G Major”
Bach
“Hark! The Glad Sound!”
#72 1982 Hymnal
Welcome The Processional (standing) Introit
“Hear Our Prayer”
#249 LEVAS
The Opening Acclamation Celebrant Blessed be God: Father Son, and Holy Spirit. People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. The Collect for Purity Celebrant Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. Holy God (said three times) Holy God Holy and Mighty Holy Immortal One Have mercy upon us. The Collect of the Day Celebrant The Lord be with you People And also with you Celebrant Let us pray Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Please be seated for the reading of the lessons. A reading from 2 Samuel (7:1-11, 16) 7Now when the king was settled in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.’ 3Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all that you have in mind; for the LORD is with you.’
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4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: 5Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? 6I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. 7Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ 8Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; 9and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 16Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever. Lector The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God. The Song of Mary (Luke 1:46-55) My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. A reading from Romans (16:25-27) 25 Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever! Amen. 4
Lector The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God. Gradual Hymn (standing)
“The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns”
#73 1982 Hymnal (1,2,3)
Celebrant The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (1:26-38) People Glory to you, Lord Christ 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.’ 29But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ 34Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ 35The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.’ 38Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her. Celebrant The Gospel of the Lord. People Praise to you, Lord Christ. Gradual Hymn (standing)
“The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns”
Sermon (seated) Nicene Creed (standing) We believe in one God the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, The only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God, from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, 5
#73 1982 Hymnal (4,5)
and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Form IV (kneeling/standing) (Individuals desiring prayers for birthdays, anniversaries, travel, or healing are invited to come to the altar rail as the Prayers of the People are being offered. The priest will offer you a personal prayer at the end of the collective prayer.) Let us pray for the Church and for the world. Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world. Silence Lord, in your mercy Hear our prayer. Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another and serve the common good. Silence Lord, in your mercy Hear our prayer. Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory. Silence
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Lord, in your mercy Hear our prayer. Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us. We especially pray for the children and youth of the parish: Simone W., Morgan, Noah, Simone E., Josie, Wendell, Brooks, James G., Gabe, Emeri, Kennidi, James H., Scarlin, Naomi, Nathan, Diana, Raven, Aubrey, Dylan, and Tanner. We also give thanks for the gift of life, especially praying for those celebrating birthdays this week: Christoppher, Nathan, Lisa, Roslyn, Kathleen, and Donna. Silence Lord, in your mercy Hear our prayer. Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation. We especially pray: for Tony, Anderson, Nicholas Carl, Margaret Davis, Denise Fleming, Glenda Gwynn, Paul Holmes, Shirley Jackson, Berrenda Lewis, James Linder, Loretta Mann, Margretta Marchbanks, Mark Martin, Dorothy Nisbeth, Melvin Ryan, Clara Thorne, for Yinka and all who serve in the military. Silence Lord, in your mercy Hear our prayer. We commend to your mercy all who have died, that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom. Silence Lord, in your mercy Hear our prayer. The celebrant offers prayers for individuals at the altar rail Celebrant’s concluding collect Almighty God, by your Holy Spirit you have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. The Confession Celebrant
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence Celebrant and Congregation 7
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Celebrant Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The Peace (standing) The Announcements (seated) “Sleepers, Wake”
The Offertory Anthem Presentation (standing) 8:00am All things come of thee O Lord And of thine own have we given thee 10:30am – sung (To God be the Glory) To God be the glory, To God be the glory, To God be the glory For all the things He has done! With His blood He has saved me, With His pow’r He has raised me To God be the glory For the things He has done.
The Great Thanksgiving Enriching our Worship: Eucharistic Prayer D Celebrant People
The Lord be with you. And also with you. 8
Bach
Celebrant People Celebrant People
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is truly right to glorify you, Father, and to give you thanks; for you alone are God, living and true, dwelling in light inaccessible from before time and for ever. Fountain of life and source of all goodness, you made all things and fill them with your blessing; you created them to rejoice in the splendor of your radiance. Countless throngs of angels stand before you to serve you night and day; and, beholding the glory of your presence, they offer you unceasing praise. Joining with them, and giving voice to every creature under heaven, we acclaim you, and glorify your Name, as we sing (say), Celebrant and People Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Then the Celebrant continues (remain standing or kneeling) We acclaim you, holy Lord, glorious in power. Your mighty works reveal your wisdom and love. You formed us in your own image, giving the whole world into our care, so that, in obedience to you, our Creator, we might rule and serve all your creatures. When our disobedience took us far from you, you did not abandon us to the power of death. In your mercy you came to our help, so that in seeking you we might find you. Again and again you called us into covenant with you, and through the prophets you taught us to hope for salvation. Father, you loved the world so much that in the fullness of time you sent your only Son to be our Savior. Incarnate by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, he lived as one of us, yet without sin. To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation; to prisoners, freedom; to the sorrowful, joy. To fulfill your purpose he gave himself up to death; and, rising from the grave, destroyed death, and made the whole creation new. And, that we might live no longer for ourselves, but for him who died and rose for us, he sent the Holy Spirit, his own first gift for those who believe, to complete his work in the world, and to bring to fulfillment the sanctification of all. When the hour had come for him to be glorified by you, his heavenly Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end; at supper with them he took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me." After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me." 9
Father, we now celebrate this memorial of our redemption. Recalling Christ's death and his descent among the dead, proclaiming his resurrection and ascension to your right hand, awaiting his coming in glory; and offering to you, from the gifts you have given us, this bread and this cup, we praise you and we bless you. Celebrant and People We praise you, we bless you, we give thanks to you, and we pray to you, Lord our God. The Celebrant continues Lord, we pray that in your goodness and mercy your Holy Spirit may descend upon us, and upon these gifts, sanctifying them and showing them to be holy gifts for your holy people, the bread of life and the cup of salvation, the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Grant that all who share this bread and cup may become one body and one spirit, a living sacrifice in Christ, to the praise of your Name. Remember, Lord, your one holy catholic and apostolic Church, redeemed by the blood of your Christ. Reveal its unity, guard its faith, and preserve it in peace. And grant that we may find our inheritance with Mary, the God bearer, with patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, with Edmund and all the saints who have found favor with you in ages past. We praise you in union with them and give you glory through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, all honor and glory are yours, Almighty God and Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. AMEN. And now as our Savior Christ has taught us we are bold to say, Celebrant and People Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Fraction Anthem 8:00am Celebrant Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; People Therefore, let us keep the feast. Alleluia. 10
10:30am “Lamb Of God” #269 LEVAS Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, have mercy on us. Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, have mercy on us. Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, grant us Thy peace, grant us Thy peace. Amen Prayer for Spiritual Communion Celebrant and People In union, O Lord, with the people gathered around your altar, I offer you my own praise and thanksgiving. I present to you my soul and body, that I may always be united to you. Although I cannot share in the blessed bread and wine of this sacrament, your Body and Blood, I ask that I might still feel your presence with me here and now. I unite myself with you, and embrace you with all my heart. Let nothing ever separate me from you. May I live in you, and you in me, both in this life and in the life to come. Amen. Distribution of Communion (seated) The Communion Anthem
“Once In Royal David’s City”
The Post Communion Prayer (standing or kneeling) Celebrant Let us pray. Celebrant and People Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. The Blessing Children’s Homily (seated) The Recessional Hymn (standing)
“On Jordan” Bank The Baptist’s Cry”
Choir Anthem (seated or kneeling)
“God Be With You Till We Meet Again”
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Hume
The Dismissal Celebrant Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. People Thanks be to God. The Postlude
“Prelude in C Major”
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Bach